Coin-operated vending-machine.



PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

J. A. RULE. 00m OPERATED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31. 1904.

Witnzoaao C'. W m k ANDRKW. a (mum cu. wnavmuwocmwnsns. wASNmmou, n c.

JOHN A. RULE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

COIN-OPERATED VENDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, 1906.

Application. filed December 31 1904. Serial Nov 289,087-

To to whom, it 771/07] concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. RULE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cincinnati, county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is a vendingmachine in which a coin of larger denomination actuates both the delivery mechanism and the change-receptacle and a small coin actuates only the dellvery mechanism,

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated the coin-actuated part of a vendingmachine.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, the coin-receptacle being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail rear elevation of the ends of the coin and the change chutes. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of the levers which regulate the delivery mechanism and the change-receptacle.

Referring to the parts, the delivery mechanism is represented only to such an extent as is necessary to understand my invention. The delivery mechanism as here illustrated consists of a shaft A, which carries a coiled spring a and a ratchet-wheel a and a swing ing arm M, which is adapted to open the doors of a paper-receptacle when it is rotated as descrlbed in my application which was filed on August 14, 1903, Serial No. 169,440, for a coin-operated vending-machine. I

In the present construction coin-chute B is divided by a partition 1) into passages b I).

The passage Z) at the up er end of the chute is extended into a coin-s 0t 5 the partition Z) being cut away adjacentto the opening I), leaving ledges b at a distance apart such as to support a coin of a larger diameter, such as a nickel, and to allow a smaller coin,

such as'a cent, to pass between the ledges.

Pivoted below the ledges b is a leaf 1), whose lower end stands normally adjacent to a flange b. The leaf b .at its loose end rests upon the end of a lever N, which may be regulated by an arm 6 so that the weight 6 upon the end of the lever will be overbalanced by the weight of the number of small coins desired when resting on the leaf 6 so as to carry I it below the flange 7) and direct the small coin into the chute b At its lower end the passage 5 is intercepted by a block 0 upon an arm O of a bell-crank lever which is fulcrumed at c and carries up on its other arm 0 a pawl c the pawl being held normally in contact with the teeth of the ratchet a by a spring 0 Then a coin or coins in falling through passage strikes the block 0, they carry the pawl c outof contact with the tooth of the ratchet c and allow the ratchetwheel a to move through one step, thereby moving arm a through one step, which releases the article to be vended.

The passage b is intercepted at its lower end by a block 01 upon the end of an arm D of a second bell-crank lever which is fulcrumed at cl and has its other arm (Z brought in contact with lever E which is fulcrumed at e and has at its upper end a hook e for engaging the successive lugs f of a sliding change-receptacle F. The arm D is bent at (1 passes upon the outside of the passage 6 and enters passage b from the side and is guided by a bracket '6 secured upon the outside of the coin-chute. The block d stands above the end of the block 0, so as to contact the same when it is carried downward.

The change-receptacle consists of vertical sides f, joined by inclined partitions f forming compartments for the reception of change, the compartments being brought successively to register with the slot 9, leading into the change-chute Or, when the operation of the lever E permits the tooth e to be carried from one of the teeth f to the next tooth upon the changereceptacle.

The operation of the device is as follows: If a two-cent paper is to be vended, the compartments f each receive three cents and the change-receptacle is set in its uppermost position with the lowermost of the compartments f standing just one step above the slot g. The lever b is regulated by means of the arm b so that the leaf 6 will be carried below the partition I) by the weight of two cents. If two cents be placed in the slot 5 they will then be carried into the passage I), will strike the block 0 without affecting the arm D, causing it to stand upon the outside of the passage b and will release the pawl c from the ratchet, thereby turning the delivery mechanism through one step. If a nickel be placed in the slot b it is carried by ledges b into the passage 1). It strikes the block cZ, lowers both the arm D and the arm O, which carries the pawl 0 out of contact with the ratchet c, allowing it to move through one step, and causes the arm (1 to throw the lever Eand carry the tooth 6 out of contact with the tooth f it has been engaging and alloWs the change-receptacle to drop down one step, causing the compartment f to register With the slot 9 through which the pennies in the compartment pass into the change-chute G because of the inclined bottom of the compartments.

What I claim is 1. In a coin-operated vending-machine the combination of a delivery mechanism, a locking mechanism for the delivery mechanism, a movable change-receptacle, means for locking the change-receptacle, a passage for large coms, a second passage for small coins, a releasing mechanism for the delivery mechananism adapted to be actuated by a coin in either passage and areleasing mechanism for the change-receptacle to be actuated by a coin in the first passage.

2. In a coin-operated vendinganachine the combination of a coin-chute having a passage for large and a passage for small coins, means of directing large coins into the first passage and small coins into the second passage, a delivery mechanism, a lever for locking said mechanism one of Whose ends extends into the second passage, a movable change-receptacle, and a second lever for actuating the change-receptacle and the first lever and Whose end extends into the first passage.

3. In a coin-operated vending-machine the combination of a main shaft, a means of exerting a rotating pressure upon the shaft, a ratchet-Wheel upon the shaft, a sliding change-receptacle, a lever for engaging the change-receptacle, a coin-chute having a passage for large and a second passage for small colns, a bell-crank lever one of Whose arms engages the ratchet-Wheel and the other arm of Which extends into the second passage, a second lever one end of Which engages the lever which holds the change-receptacle and the other arm of which extends around the second passage and into the first passage above the bell-crank lever so that a small coin actuates the delivery mechanism and a large coin actuates both the delivery mechanism and the change-receptacle.

JOHN A. RULE.

Witnesses:

WALTER F. MURRAY, AGNES MoCoRMAoK. 

